Documentation guide
How to write docs that people actually read
Good documentation is one of the most underrated skills in tech. The people who write clearly ship faster, prevent misalignment, and build trust across teams without being in every meeting.
Why documentation matters more than most people think
Documentation is asynchronous communication at scale. A well-written runbook lets an on-call engineer fix an incident at 3am without waking anyone. A clear PRD prevents a month of misaligned engineering work.
Good documentation is a multiplier — it makes your work available to everyone, forever.
The documentation types every tech team needs
Each type serves a different reader at a different moment. Using the right format signals that you understand who you are writing for.
Principles of good documentation
These apply to every doc you write, regardless of the type or audience.
The PRD one-page format
A one-page PRD forces clarity. If you need more than one page, the thinking is probably not done yet.
Writing for different audiences
The same information needs to be written differently depending on who is reading it and why.
For Engineers
Be precise. Specify exact behavior. Include edge cases. Expect questions about implementation.
For Stakeholders
Be brief. Lead with the outcome. Keep technical details in an appendix.
For Users
Be conversational. Use plain language. Show examples.
The documentation habit
Document as you go, not after. Writing documentation after the fact produces worse docs and rarely happens.
The test
Could a new team member use this document to understand and do the thing without asking you?
Next steps
Build your technical communication skills
Good documentation starts with good writing. Learn how to write clearly and precisely for technical audiences.